Many of the names I had just about forgotten about. A few went onto greater things, but none gave me as much pleasure as Tony Canham, who in his 10^th and testimonial season at Bootham Crescent is still giving me, and I'm sure many City supporters, as much pleasure as ever. He may not have quite as much pace as he once had, but still, put the ball on his foot and he is off. Defenders still find it as hard as ever to dispossess him, at the end of his runs, the shot can still be lethal.

Alternatively, who better to slip a slide rule pass through to Paul Barnes? That combination has been responsible for quite a few goals over the last 2 seasons.

It says much for Tony that he has held down the position for as long as he has. Before him, Denis Smith had tried several players on the left wing. None could make it their own. Several half hearted challengers to Tony have been beaten off. Indeed, while managers may have looked at strengthening the side, none of them has seriously looked at attempting to find someone better than Tony Canham.

One challenger, Wayne Hall had to settle for the left back shirt. Indeed, at times, Tony has challenged for the left back shirt himself. Always prepared to drop back to help his defender, Tony got to wear the number 3 shirt at Brentford in February 1993 after Wayne Hall fell ill before the game. He earned my vote as City's man of the match that day.

I know that when the time comes, and let's hope its not too soon, Tony will be a hard man to replace.

Tony must rank as one of our best ever signings. Having failed to make the grade, mainly through a lack of inches, as a junior with Leeds United, he'd returned to Harrogate to play for Railway Athletic.

Having played against City in a pre season friendly, Denis Smith asked him along to York where he impressed for the reserves on non contract (amateur) terms throughout the 1984/5 season. One day, he got a phone call from Smith, "Come and train with the first team tomorrow (Friday) and you'll play on Saturday". He did and made his debut against Brentford on March 2^nd 1985 scoring the only goal in a 1-0 win. He signed his first professional contract that summer.

His long mazy runs thrilled the crowd and caused many anxious moments for opposing defences and keepers. A long run being finished off with a rasping shot. On 2 occasions, he was our top scorer for the season. Who will ever forget that long run at Anfield towards The Kop that ended in a goal in 1986 or the winner against Chelsea in The League Cup? Many years later, Canham recalled his goal at Anfield. Picking the ball up from a clearance following a Liverpool corner, he ran down the wing towards The Kop, cut inside, and felt he scuffed his shot and momentarily looked away in disappointment. It was only when he heard the roar from the near 7,000 City supporters at the other end of the ground that he realised he'd scored. Certainly, as one of those supporters, I felt he'd gone too far and it took me a couple of seconds to realise that he'd scored from a tight angle. Sadly, there is no TV coverage of either of City's Anfield cup replays. Equally, Tony can only recount how after the game, Craig Johnston said that Keith Walwyn's goal should never have been disallowed as he got the better of Bruce Grobbelaar and 2 Liverpool defenders to net what might have been a late City winner only for the referee to disallow it.

He was aware of some interest from bigger clubs throughout his time with City. He read Newcastle were interested and in 1987 went down to London to speak to Southend and Wimbledon. Checking estate agents in Wimbledon, he was put off by the house prices and turned down an offer from Bobby Gould who'd offered "a good contract as a squad player" with good bonuses for first team appearances. A year later Wimbledon won the FA Cup and City were relegated.

Incidentally, when researching this article, I discovered a few other interesting names to have filled the number 11 shirt. John MacPhail made his City debut at number 11, Keith Walwyn has worn it and Steve Tutill wore it on several occasions in the early days of his City career. When you mention City stars of the recent years, Tony Canham's name is always one of the first you name, alongside MacPhail and Walwyn.

After leaving City, having enjoyed a testimonial against Sunderland, Tony had a season with Hartlepool before returning to local football with Harrogate Railway Athletic for a couple of seasons. The Hartlepool move came about when Canham thinking he was too old to win another professional contract phoned Keith Houchen, then Hartlepool manager, to ask him to play in his testiomonial. Houchen was surprised to learn he was a free agent and offered him a contract. He believes his release from City was at the instigation of the board as Little had wanted to keep him.

Earlier, in April 1994, his testimonial season included a game between an ex York City side and a Leeds United XI at Tadcaster Albion's ground, City won with Alan Little and Ricky Sbragia both scoring a brace against a side that include Peter Lorimer and Bobby Collins.

Tony Canham's random thoughts:

1. Best goal: A volley from the edge of the area into the top corner against Bolton at Bootham Crescent (May 1987). Goals against Liverpool and Chelsea are also fondly remembered
2. Best opponent: Liverpol (1986), en masse, so quick in mind and thought
3. Best manager: Denis Smith ("made you believe you could win every game") just beats John Ward ("you could tell he'd coached at a higher level, meticulous and superb tactically"), largely because Smith gave him his debut. He also thought highly of Alan Little who carried on Ward's good work and earned a lot of respect from all the players
4. Best game: 4-2 win at Sunderland in the League Cup (August 1986)
5. Best teammate: John MacPhail ("defender, leader and he could play")
6. Walwyn or Barnes? Walwyn was a "great target man, strength, pace, good touch, could lay it off, to top it all, he was a great bloke" whilst Barnes was a "great finsher". Too close to call
7. McCarthy or Ford? Another close call, each had their own qualities, pace or intelligence